ELKI SHEN
Old Melbourne Gaol as a starting point
Posters Collection
Information
Identity | Publication Design | Typography Design | Poster Design
This project introduces The Merxcel, a fictional political party in a future world shaped by digital exclusion. Set on the outskirts of cities where bandwidth is scarce due to resource shortages, marginalized groups find themselves unable to communicate face-to-face. Their only means of connection is through pixelated, black-and-white imagery.
The project explores how this group navigates and resists their circumstances, relying on low-quality images as a form of political expression. The party’s ideology, recorded through a series of real-life events, embodies their fight against technological stagnation and the unequal access to resources. At its core, the project delves into the dual nature of pixelated images: Poor Image emerges as a symbol of democratized information and widespread accessibility. Yet, this same imagery, while loaded with meaning, struggles with legibility, raising questions about the effectiveness of communication in a future where image quality is sacrificed for access.
By envisioning future political resistance through low-resolution imagery, this project challenges the audience to consider how we might adapt to a world where technological innovation stagnates. How can we leverage "poor image" to resist, communicate, and express our political dissent?